Hood Struts ??

[Simon Stillwater]

I hate to be that guy but I think you installed them upside down. The gas cylinder is supposed to be at the top, connected to the hood.

Lol, I just got an email from Redline pointing that out. D'oh!!

 

[peterk9]

I hate to be that guy but I think you installed them upside down. The gas cylinder is supposed to be at the top, connected to the hood.

The OEM struts on my MKT had the gas cylinders on the bottom. I guess these ones are different according to the above posts.

Peter

 

[Simon Stillwater]

The OEM struts on my MKT had the gas cylinders on the bottom. I guess these ones are different according to the above posts.

Peter

They work just fine as far as I can tell but I'll listen to the seller and flip the around.

 

[DMG632]

Okay. I did not have a smooth install. I'm pretty handy and just couldn't get these to install correctly. When trying to install the strut to the bracket, I couldn't get the thin end (non-cylinder) to snap into place. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong, but had no problem snapping the other side in. I had the same troubles with the second strut.

I tried to force it onto the ball joint and bent the metal clip inside. I'll have to email Redline for a replacement. Thankfully they just unscrew from the strut so should be a simple replacement.

The bottom doesn't snap in as EZ as the top ones for some reason, maybe the "ball" is a little larger. It took me getting my kid (6'-3" 245 pounds) to snap in the lowers, I must be getting old and weak.

They work just fine as far as I can tell but I'll listen to the seller and flip the around.

When you flip them around (the corrrrrrrect way) you will notice that it has a bend in it so it fallows hood angle better, but in past cars with a strut the cylinder is normally at the bottom. I think this is the first time I read the install instruction before starting and finishing the work.

 

[Drive XR7]

Andreas over at Redline is shipping me a new set of end fittings for free.

 

[wharriso]

Lol, I just got an email from Redline pointing that out. D'oh!!

Too bad. It looks better that way.

 

[Simon Stillwater]

Too bad. It looks better that way.

I agree! However I googled "Gas Spring Orientation" and now I have a deeper appreciation of why I erred! It really has to do with the lubrication of the internal systems in a gas strut. I learned something new today!

 

[Simon Stillwater]

Ok, I fixed them yesterday and forgot I take a pic so here is the correctly installed struts. Note, taking them of wasn't to bad, there is a little metal clip that you can jam a small flathead screwdriver into that release the clip from the ball joint and it comes off with little effort.

 

[Gldaugh]

Late to the dance her; I ordered a set from Red Line Tuning and installed them yesterday. Took all of 15 minutes and was worth the money and effort. No more burning your hand on the hood prop when engine is up to temp...

 

[rmcalis]

I ordered a set and they were shipped on the 8th, still haven't received them. They are stuck in Allentown, MI for some reason.

 

[PlatinumOwner]

I ordered a set and they were shipped on the 8th, still haven't received them. They are stuck in Allen Park, MI for some reason.

Mine were originally supposed to be delivered Monday and also got stuck in Allen Park for 3 days at USPS! They finally arrived today and took about 15 minutes to install. They work great.

 

[wharriso]

Mine were originally supposed to be delivered Monday and also got stuck in Allen Park for 3 days at USPS! They finally arrived today and took about 15 minutes to install. They work great.

Mine was reported in Allen Park on the 11th, no updates on the 12th and its now in my zip code out for delivery. I think USPS is just doing a poor job updating their tracking information.

 

[JAPeterson]

USPS is one of the worst ways to ship anything other than a letter.

I watched the tracking on a package that I was expecting and it made its way around Colorado from the east side to the west to the south before it ended up in my local post office 3 days later.

Perhaps that is why they don't have the best tracking information either. Keep you in the dark so you don't know where the package is at. Usually I can see that they accepted the package at the shippers location and then don't see a thing until it is delivered 4 or 5 days later.

 

[wharriso]

USPS is one of the worst ways to ship anything other than a letter.

I watched the tracking on a package that I was expecting and it made its way around Colorado from the east side to the west to the south before it ended up in my local post office 3 days later.

Perhaps that is why they don't have the best tracking information either. Keep you in the dark so you don't know where the package is at. Usually I can see that they accepted the package at the shippers location and then don't see a thing until it is delivered 4 or 5 days later.

One day I was standing in the window watching the mailman writing something that she put in my mailbox. It was one of those attempted package delivery notes, but she had no package in her hand. I had to go to the post office to pick it up the next day.

 

[Gldaugh]

Okay. I did not have a smooth install. I'm pretty handy and just couldn't get these to install correctly. When trying to install the strut to the bracket, I couldn't get the thin end (non-cylinder) to snap into place. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong, but had no problem snapping the other side in. I had the same troubles with the second strut.

I tried to force it onto the ball joint and bent the metal clip inside. I'll have to email Redline for a replacement. Thankfully they just unscrew from the strut so should be a simple replacement.

I bent the lock clip on one of mine, I played hell getting the bent clip out but I was able to. Then re-bent it to the proper shape, re-install it onto the rod end and installed the strut properly. Was on the verge of calling Red Line Tuning for a replacement but I did a pull check after installation and it is locked on fine. I refuse to be defeated by something mechanical!

 

[Drive XR7]

I bent the lock clip on one of mine, I played hell getting the bent clip out but I was able to. Then re-bent it to the proper shape, re-install it onto the rod end and installed the strut properly. Was on the verge of calling Red Line Tuning for a replacement but I did a pull check after installation and it is locked on fine. I refuse to be defeated by something mechanical!

Yep I tried the same, and broke the spring E clip while trying to remove from the socket fitting. I didn't try to, of course, but it happened. New fitting shows up tomorrow and I'll try again.

 

[Simon Stillwater]

Yep I tried the same, and broke the spring E clip while trying to remove from the socket fitting. I didn't try to, of course, but it happened. New fitting shows up tomorrow and I'll try again.

Don't know if this helps but I jammed a very small flathead in between the back of the clip and it opened it up enough to snap onto the ball.

 

[bbwb]

I too had trouble with the clips...spent much time springing them open and sliding up the fitting before installing on the ball. Then futzed around getting the clip to slide back down and seat. The clips got a little mangled up but seem to have seated.
bbwb

 

[Drive XR7]

Got replacement socket fittings today. Tried the jam-it-with-a-flathead-screwdriver trick, and got them installed in a few minutes. Good tip guys. I love the look, and nice progressive raising of the hood.

 

[Daheim111]

Still awaiting MY parcel / shipping to Germany needs 2...3 weeks...